The National Park Service manages a busy boat launch at Osceola Landing on the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. Canoers, kayakers, and motorboat users struggle to stay safe while launching different types of boats to and from the water. My team's task was to improve the visitor experience at the launch. This multidisciplinary project also involved design and engineering of a second, motorized-only boat launch at the site (by project partners OTAK).
I used stakeholder focus groups and personas to understand the visitors to the launch and their specific needs, and a human-centered design process to solve the research question:
How might the boat launch experience better meet the needs of of all users?
I helped the park explore the needs and behaviors of all users at the site so that we could develop design solutions to address the needs of each. The largest group of users are canoers and kayakers who pull into the landing and leave their boat to be picked up by the outfitter.
With their boats stowed, users want to take care of basic needs, stretch their legs, find shade, and reflect on their trip—while waiting for their ride back.
Many of the safety solutions would focus on these boaters, but I developed three personas based on research with stakeholders that indicated different behaviors and needs for motorized boaters versus canoe and kayak boaters. A third category of visitors who utilize the rest of the landing—a park-like peninsula featuring fishing, a beach, picnicking, and walking trails—became our third persona.
The park client was focused on safety and infrastructure improvements, and had not envisioned what design elements on the site would be or how they could support their different types of users.
My first challenge was to assess what the client's appetite was for design interventions—elements that make the landing feel special, offer educational and interpretive experiences, and use intuitive cues to help visitors understand where to go and what to do.
I led a team of exhibit designers and partnered with the landscape architecture team to develop three options for the design of the boat landing and the park site. I co-facilitated a workshop where we helped the client select the features that met their needs. The client doubled the scope of the design portion of the project when they saw and understood how we might use design features to encourage desired visitor behaviors.
I participated in a public open house to showcase the design alternatives and gain input from stakeholders. At the meetings, I conducted informal interviews with participants, then summarized and synthesized the results so that the team could reflect upon them when selecting a design direction.
I also interviewed park staff to understand what stories and content would be most impactful for visitors, help them connect to the river ecosystem, and promote their safety.
With public input, the park selected an approach with a low-profile river element in the paving surface, with sculptural elements that hold interpretive panels. A large pole would show the effects of seasonal flooding in the visitor plaza, allowing visitors to understand seasonal changes in the river they just paddled.
Once the scheme was selected and finalized, we worked closely with the client to develop the content and the look and feel of elements in the plaza.
Creating the final design package involved finalizing content and design details. As a project manager this phase requires vigilance to bring all elements to a practical completion while not compromising on the goals of the project.
I created all of the visual design for the project and supported a team that included a writer and a 3D designer. The project has now been built and installed, greatly improving visitor flow through the site and improving safety and comfort for thousands of park visitors each season.
I will be adding to my site throughout 2021. Please check back often for updates.
